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Cord blood storage is gaining more popularity among new parents who want to make sure that their child has the best fighting chance in case of serious genetic diseases. Stem cell banks in Canada are already running a profitable business and various courier services Toronto have diversified their offer to include special transport for cord blood from the hospital to the stem cells bank.

There are various misconceptions concerning cord blood cells collection and preservation, so this weeks column is dedicated to this hot topic: how do doctors collect cord blood and how safe is the procedure for the baby and the mother?

Let me shed some light on this subject with the aid of accurate, verified information, and take you on a walkthrough tour from the first contact with the stem cell bank to the collection and preservation of cord blood cells.

The First Step

Selecting a stem cells bank depends on various factors, the financial one being the most important. There are sufficient private stem cells banks in Toronto and only a few public banks maintained by hospitals. Most parents will opt for private stem cells banks which, although more expensive, do not make the cord blood cells available for public transplant programmes.

Another benefit of private centres is that they usually have their own courier services. So, once you have signed up for the cord blood cells storage, you are provided with a sterile collection kit which the doctors will use at the hospital to collect the cord blood.

The Birth

You should inform your doctor that you have signed up for the collection and storage of cord blood, so that the team assisting you during childbirth can prepare to act at the appropriate moment. This moment occurs immediately after the umbilical cord is cut and before the placenta is eliminated.

The medical team will clean the umbilical cord and use the sterile kit provided by the stem cells bank to collect the cord blood through gravitational flow. Practically, a sterile needle is introduced in the cord and blood drips inside a blood collection bag through a one-way system which does not allow air and impurities to get inside.
Once the cord blood is collected, the bag is safely locked inside a solid case with anti-tampering lock, and the courier service is called to deliver the case to the stem cells bank.

The Future

Cord blood cells can be stored indefinitely through cryogenic preservation. They can be used at any moment your child or someone else in your family may need transplant for blood or genetic diseases. Once your Toronto clinic approves the procedure, the courier will deliver the stem cells from the storage bank to be transplanted.